Grenade and like throwing apparatus.



A. WOOD.

GRENADE AND LIKE THROWING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FiLEn MAR. i911.

l'yw Amm@ .my 23, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. WOOD. GRENADE AND LIKE THHQWING APPARATUS.

APPLICATloN FILED MAR. a. 19|?.

L27@ ,301 Patented July 23, M8.

SHEETS-SHEET 2.

me Non ms r11-'rens co, Pnmurnm vu sumo mm o, c.

A. WOOD.

GRENADE AND LIKE THROWING APPARATUS.

APPLICATxoN FILED MAR.8.19|1.

LW 33m Patented .my 23, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3..

m: Nomzs sums ca. womuma. wasmuonm, o. cv

A.A Woon.

GRENADE AND LIKETHROWING APPARATUS. AFPLICATION FILED MAB. 8| IQI.

Lmmw Patented my 23,1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ma Hamers pnzres co., Puma-uma.. wAsmNcroN. n4 c.

A. WOOD.

GRENADE AND LIKE HEowlNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FlLED MAR. 8.19M- L QV/9 Patented July 23,1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

mr Nok-ms persas co.. Ham-umn.. vmsnmcmw. c4 c.

. WOOD.

GRENADE AND LIKE THBOWING APPARATUS.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 8. i917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

` L WW Patentd July 23,y M8.

' invasor..

ABRAHAM WOOll, F RAMSJBOTTOM, ENGLAND..

GRENADE AND LIKE 'JEHROWNG- APPARATUS.

Application lcd March 8, 1917.

To all wharf?. it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM llVooD, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, and resident of Ramsbottom, in the county ofLancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGrenade and like Throwing Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention refers to and consists of a new or improved constructionof portable, pneumatic (compressed air) throwing apparatus, 'chiefly foruse in throwing grenades and the like, as used in warfare.

One of the features of the improved apparatus is an air-holding chamberor accumulator, within which air may be comu pressed, and also withinwhich is a movable member or members adapted, on being made free andwith the air compressed to be operated by the air. Another feature is athrowing arm and grenade or like holder adapted to be operated by thesaid movable member or members. A further feature of the improvedapparatus is an arrangement of devices whereby, on the desired momentumhaving been given to the grenade, the motion of the throwing arm issuddenly arrested, while the grenade is free to continue its flight.Another feature of the apparatus, in one form, is that the air servesboth to produce the movement of the arm for throwing, and to arrest suchmovement when the grenade is due to leave the holder.

The apparatus preferably takes the form. of three light metal tubesarranged in an upright position or nearly so) upon a suitable stand.Within certain of the tubes are plungers, each provided with acup-leather or like packing. The tubes communicate with each other, andin conjunction with the plungers, collectively form a storage chamber oraccumulator for air, a non-return airinlet valve being provided to allowof air being pumped into the tubes until a considerable pressure isobtained. AXially sup ported in brackets secured to the top ends of twoof the tubes is a light wood staff or throwing arm, such. arm and theplungers being arranged, or connected with each other, in such mannerthat, upon the plungers moving up within the tubes, the throwing arm andholder are rapidly moved through a curved path. rlihe throwing arm maynormally overlie the top ends of the tubes and have a. movement of aboutna quarter ef a revelation about its am, but it Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented duly 23, litt Serial No. 15353754.

will preferably normally lie alongside thev tubes and have a movement ofabout half a revolution. In the first named arrangement the plungerswill operate directly upon the throwing arm, while in the second namedarrangement the plungers will operate the throwing arm through a chainand quadrant or the like. ln addition to comprising means for throwing agrenade, theV apparatus may also comprise means for automatically iiringthe grenade.

Upon Sheets l and 2 of the accompanying drawings, Figures l to 9illustrate the apparatus in the formV in which the throwing arm normallylies alongside the tubes, and moves through about half a revolution inthrowing the grenade, this being the preferred construction.

Upon Sheet 3, Fig. 10 illustrates the apparatus in the form in which thethrowing arm normally overlies the top ends of the `tubes and movesthrough about a quarter of a revolution in throwing the grenade.

The several figures of the drawings may be described as follows: Fig. lis afront view, Fig. 2 a side view, and Fig. 3 a plan of the throwingapparatus, the working parts being shown in the ready-for-throw ingposition.

Fig. 4- is a further side view but showing the working parts in theafter-throwing position.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the apparatus when packed up ready for transit.

Fig. G is a front sectional elevation of the tubes alone, to a largerscale, while Fig. 7 is a sectional plan of the tubes on line m-x.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged front exterior elevation, and

Fig. 9 an enlarged side sectional elevation of the upper part of themachine.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the modified machine.

Fig. 10 is a sectional plan of the post and tubes shown in Fig. l0.

Fig. 1l is an enlarged vertical section of the lower end of one of theplungers.

Fig. l2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of one example of thegrenade holder, when used for throwing only.

Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section of the grenade holder and a sideelevation of the throwing arm when used for both firing and throwing agrenade.v

Fia le longitudinal #gestion et a fue llt@ ther example of holder forboth tiring and throwing a grenade.

Fio. 15 is a longitudinal section of a b n 1 D s holder fitted withgrenade holding and automatic releasing means.

Eig.` 16,v is a cross sectional elevation of a 'trench with thegrenade-throwing machine shown in Figs. 1 to 9- in position.

In the preferred construction of apparatus-,shown in Figs. l toI 9, all,a2, a3 are three light tubes, preferably of solid drawn steel.y The;three tubes are of equal diameter and the two outertubes al, a3 are ofequal length, whilethe central` tube is shorter than the outer tubes.VThe three tubes are united at their lower ends by, and open into ahollow header or cap b, while they are braced or held together at theupper end of the central tube a2 by a bracing or yoke-piece b2, theupper end of the tube a heilig also closed by such yoke-piece, see Figs.6 and 9.

In one with, or securedfto the cap b1, is a spindle b3, see F ig. 6, theprojecting ends of which form trunnions by which the tubes are axiallysupported in bearings formed in the raisedand bifurcated forward partofv the elongated wood base c, a bearing'cap or bar 61,' on each side,serving to hold the trunnions in the bearings. As shown in Figs. 1- and3, the base c is comparatively narrow and long, the length, however,beingfpreferably such as not to exceed the width of' a trench, see Fig.i6, although, Where the machine yis not required for use in a trench,the base may be longer.

At their top ends the tubes al, 0f" are litted with the curved bracketsd, Z which eX- tend rearwardly and upwardly from the tu-bes. By means ofstays e, e pivotally secured at one end to the brackets cl, Z anddetachably connected at the other end by say wingA screws or bolts andnuts, tothe base c, the tubes are held rigidly in relation to the base.At any suitable point in the tube 0,2. or in the cap b1, is fitted anon-return air inlet valve, provided with a stem 01 to which an ordinaryhand air pump may be connected.

To the tube c2 is litted a pressure gage o, preferably removable, so asto be used for quickly exhausting the tubes when required. Within the'tubes 0,1, o, are plungers f, f each almost equal in length to thetubes.

At their upper ends the plungers are connected toa woodcross-bar l, theconnection being made as rigid as possible so as to prevent any sidewiseor endwise movements of the two plungers relatively to each other,andalso so as to cause the plungers to move as one. At, or near theirlower ends, the plungers are each fitted with one or more cup leatherser similarpacking f2, see Figs. Gand ll. Wfhenitwo leathers areprovided, the leathers are spaced apart by a spacing block f3, see 47g.Il, The said brackets (l, d, near their free extremities, carry betweenthem a spindle d1. Upon such spindle is loosely mounted the throwing armand also a quadrant 7L.

The throwing arm is preferably nuule of wood, such as hickory orlance-wtuul, and where it tits the spindle it is provided with ametal-bush, The quadrant is composed of two curved sheet-nieta] plates.between which lies a curved (wood) rare blot-h.` nee Fig. 9, the platesand block being liruily secured together by screws. or 'bolts and nuts.rll`he arm and quadrant may. it deY sired, be mounted in uall bearings.'l`he throwing' arm lies between two further and smallerplates 71,",itl, which are secured to the arm byv nuts and bolts i, i, while in eachof such plates is a slot i? through whit-ln and holes in the side platesof the pladrant.r a further bolt passes, this latter, on its nut beingslackened, allowing the throwing arm to be adjusted to different;angular positions relatively to the qutulrant. .X''ter tightening thenut olf the bolt 1, a wood wedge may be pushed in between the bolt 2 andthe throwing arm, the wedge thereby helping to prevent the partsaccidentally alteringA their relative positions. The said brackets d, lalso carry between them a further fixedspindle Z2 and upon such spindleand preferably in ball or roller hearings, is mounted a sprocket wheelj.

Connected at one end, and centrally, to the cross-bar f1 of the plungersby say a pin f is a chain which, after passing below the sprocket wheelj, is secured at its other end to a loop h2 on the quadrant t.

Clamped to the tubes al, a2, 0J near their lower ends (Fig. is a bar orlug a, to which is hingedly connected a double-ended or forked hook (i,the hook being so formed on its hinge side as to normally assume theposition shown in Fig. Upon the throwing arm g is xed a U-shaped plateg1, while passing through the arm and the plate is aI long pin g2, theends of which project on each side of the arm. The ends ol the pin, whenthe arm is moved down and toward the tubes al, a2, an, areauton'latically engaged by the hook a", the nose or face of the hookriding over the ends of the pin and the hook falling behind the ends ofthe pin as the arm. completes ,its movement, see Fig. Z. In one with, orsecured to the hook Uf is a handle a," which preferably inclines awayfrom the tubes, so that its weight may help to hold the hook inengagement with the pin (/2 when the arm is lowered.

Upon the throwing arm, and near its free end, is mounted the device forholding the Y grenade, or other object requiring to be thrown. Suchdevices may take various forms, but in the example shown it rontprises aplain cylindrical sheet-metal cup lo, provided on its underside with abifurllt) inraeoi cated sheet-nietal flange lol, the forks oli which areadapted to embrace the throwing arm g. A bolt 7a2, passing through theforks of the cup flange and through a hole in the throwing arm, servesto pivotally connect the cup to the arm and thereby enable the cup `lotake up various angular positions relatively to the arm. ln each of theforks of the cup flange 711 is a segmental slot 7c3, through which, anda hole in the arm, a bolt 1:4 passes. Such bolt is provided with a headat one end and a wing-nut at the other end, so that, after setting thecup to the desired angular position, the nut and bolt enable the forkedflange and the cup to be iirmly clamped `to the arm. lWithin the cup 7uare two or more strips of thin spring metal 7165, see l? ig. 12, thestrips being either integral, or separate and lying at right angles toand crossing` each other, and being secured centrally to the cup by ascrew ,766 while their extremities extend slightly beyond the top edgeof the cup. This arrangement of grenade h older has been foundparticularly suitable for what are known as cricket ball7 grenades. When a grenade is placed in the cup Vthe arms produced by the springstrips held it in the cup with a gentle yielding pressure.

The working oi' the machine may now be described. The base c of themachine having been placed with its sides parallel with the intendedline or direction of throw, air pumped into the tubes cil, a2, a3 bymeans say olf an ordinary hand pump Via the nonreturn Valve, the pumpingbeing continued until a considerable pressure is obtained in the tubes,according to the distance the grenade requires to be thrown. rillhethrowing arm r/ during the pumping may either be lowered and latched asin Fig. 2 or left raised as in Fig. 4l. ln this last named case, thepumping need not be carried on for so long as when the arm is lowered inview olthe factthat, upon afterward lowering the arni, the pressure isincreased by the forcing down of the plungers f, f within the tubes.

llither before or after the armv is loweied the grenade or other objectto be thrown, is pla-ced in the cup 7c, the spring strips 705 preventingits falling out of the cup when the cup is in the position shown in Fig.2.

fill being rei dy :tor throwing, the hook 0,5 is tripped (raised) bymeans of the handle a, thereby releasing the throwing arin, which, underthe force o'l'the pull exercised upon it by the chain due to thepressure of the air in the tubes, is rapidly flung upward, about itsaxis, until it reaches the po sitiou shown in Fig. t, when it issuddenly pulled up or stopped, and thereby caused to discharge thegrenade out of the cup 7c in the i required direction, and. under theenergy developed by the arm, for the required distance. rlhe suddenpulling `up or stopping maand bags may be placed.

of the arm is brought about by the quadrant t reaching a position whereit begins to exert, through the chain f5, a downward pull on thecross-bar f1 against the up-l ward pressure of the air in the tubes. lnthis way the air used both tor operating the throwing ariu and lforarresting its movement, and, in the latter (,:onnection it also acts asa shoc t absorber.

For throwing the next grenade, the throw ing arni is again lowered andagain relatched by the hook of', whereupon the air in the tubes isautomaticall y restored to its original pressure. l/Vith a grenade thenplaced in the cup, thc hook a is again tripped, when. the arm is againflung` upward by the pressure ol the air, until the point olli deliveryreached (Fig. l), when the grenade lcayes the cup as previously described.

ily repeatedly lowering the throwing arm, placing` each time a :Freshgrei'iade in the cup, and releasing` the hook 0,5, a succession ol:grenades may be rapidly discharged.

As only the expansion ol? the air in the tubes is used for operating theplungers, there is no necessity to pump more air into the tubes alftereach operation ol. the throwing arm, but, on the contrary, a practicallyconstant or standing head of pressure is always available.

By varying the angular. position of the cup )t relatively to thethrowing arm, the trajectory ot the grenade may bc varied. That is tosay, the lfarther the cup is moved in one direction about its pivot 7112the greater the elevation ci the trajectory, while the lartheir the cupis moved in the opposite direction about its pivot the flatter thetrajectory. Very slight angular adjustments oi the cup have been foundto give a considerable variation iii the trajectory.

By moving either end oi the base c sidewise, the direction ol throw maybe readily Varied, and with the whole n'iachine lightly constructed,this is an easy operation. Zlo guard against the accidental disturbanceof the machine while throwing a grenade, the base c may have battons c1,c1 Fig. 3, lying below the base and projecting beyond the sides of thebase, and upon these battons `When the ma chine is not in use, thebattons may be swireled below the hase, and thus lie out olZ the way, aswell as allow oi the machine being neatly packed, see Fig.

providing the base with the raised biiurcated part and hinging the tubesthereto.I the machine can be Jfolded up, 5, without requiring to detachthe throwing arm. Further. he cup and its parts are protected frominjury while in transit.

Referring now to Figs. l0 and l0, a. tubular metal (or solid wood) postZ is used which is, by preference, detachably secured to the lll) ` iscomparatively lightl and portable.

base 0. To such post is braced the three tubes al, a2, a3 collectivelyforming the air chamber. Within the tubes @1,053 are plungers f, f andat their upper end the plungers are joined by a cross-pin carrying ananti-friction roller m. At the top of the post Z, and extendingforwardly therefrom, is a forked bracket Z1, and fulcrumed upon a fixedaxis carried by the bracket is the throwing arm g. This throwing armoverlies the roller m carried by the plunger cross-pin. To the free endof the arm g is applied the grenade holder 1. Connected at one end tothe arm g and at the other end to the base c is a stout cord 0.

In using this eonstructi on of the throwing machine, air is first pumpedinto the tubes al, e2, a to the required pressure, the arm g beingpreferably held down during the pumping operation by the double hook p.

engaging a pin p1 on each side of the arm.

A grenade being then placed in the holderand all being ready to throwthe grenade, the hook p is tripped, and the arm g made free, whereuponthe arm, under the pressure of the air in the tubes acting upon theplungers, is flung upward about its axis until it reaches the positionshown by the dotted lines, when it is suddenly stopped by the cord 0,which is then fully distended. With such sudden arresting of themovement of the arm the grenade is discharged from the cup at a highspeed in the desired direction and for the desired distance.

To help to maintain a uniform angular acceleration of the throwing armduring the rise of the plunger, the throwing arm is formed or providedwith a shaped part g* for the plungers to act against.

Owing to the limited are of movement of the throwing arm in this form ofthe machine a high pressure of air is required to obtain the desiredvelocity of the arm for throwing, and as it appears to be the fact,that, the greater the arc ofmovement, the greater the momentum of thethrowing arm, it is preferred to employ the construction of machineshown in Figs. 1 to 9.

As will be seen from the foregoing description the machine shown eitherin Figs. l to 9, or Fig. 10 of the drawings is comparatively simple inconstruction, and, owing to the base and throwing arm being of wood, andthe metal parts being tubular or of thin section, the machine as a wholeAnd either when in use (Fig. 2), or when folded up (Fig. 5), it can bereadily carried about by one person. Further, when folded up it lies insmall compass, and may, if desired, form part of the bombers kit. A pairof straps c* serves to hold the parts compactly together when folded.

Referring new to 13 and to the means the bottom of the cup 7c isprovided with a boss or bush Q through which slidably projects a piercerg1. Engaging this piercer at its rear end is one arm of a smallbell-crank lever 7, fulcrumed say to the cup as shown. To the other armof such lever is connected one end of a Bowden wire r1, the outer caseor sheath of which lies alongside and is secured to the throwing arm.The other end of the. Bowden wire is adjust/ably connected to a leverarm 1'2 pivoted to the quadrant lt. Under the weight of the free end ofthe lever, a slight pull is exerted on the wire, which serves to holdthe piercer q1 normally retracted and with its point within the saidbush g. Upon one of the brackets (l is a stop pin s, which, as shown,lies in the path of the free end of the lever arm r2.

With the grenade to be thrown provided with a percussion cap, time fuseand detonator, and with the grenade placed in the cup 7c, the percussioncap lies directly opposite the point of the piercer. While the throwingarm is moving upward about its axis, but just before the grenade is dueto leave the cup, the piercer g1 is caused to move rapidly forward andpierce the cap. This is brought about by the free end of the lever armr2 meeting the stop pin s, which, by

offering a resistance to the further bodily movement of the lever,causes the lever, with the further movements of the arm, to move aboutits own fulcrum and, through the Bowden wire, rapidly operate thepiercer. In this way the machine is adapted to both lire and throw thegrenade. Upon the throwing arm being again lowered, the piercer isretracted, and remains retracted, while the next grenade is placed inthe cup and until the arm again reaches the firing point. In this waythere is no danger of the grenades being pierced while placing them intothe cup.

In Fig. 14C the apparatus is shown as adapted for firing and throwing agrenade of the kind which is usually tired by means of what is termed astriker Instead, however, of the striker being part of the grenade asheretofore, it is made part of the throwing machine. In the exampleshown in Fig. 14, t is the striker, the stem of which passes slidablythrough the bush g in the floor of the cup 7c and is connected, as inthe case of the piercer in Fig. 13, with devices, such as the lever r,the Bowden wire r1 and the lever arm r2 whereby, on the throwing armbeing moved upward to throw the grenade, the lever r will serve tosharply operate the striker, just prior to the grenade leaving the cup,to force it against the percussion cap of the grenade and thus fire thegrenade. Upon the arm being lowered the striker will be moved back,ready for the next firing operation.

The moment or point at which the vpiercer neraeei or striker shall beoperated to fire the grenade during the upward movement of the throwingarm may be varied by adjusting the position oi the stop pin S.

ln transferring the piercer or striker from the grenade to themachine,and operating it by the machine, the dangers attending the handling andthrowing of grenades are considerably reduced. Moreover, the grenadeitsell' is rendered safer to handle prior to throwing.

Means similar to that used for operating the piercer or striker may beemployed i'or operating grenade releasing devices upon the cup. Anexample oi one arrangement is shown in Fig. 15,7117 being a spring bladesecured to the cup and bent inwardly toward the grenade, while las is aslide adapted to be pushed forward by hand and to hold the bent end oft'the blade 707 against the grenade, and also adapted to be pulled backand allow the blade to move clear of the grenade. Such pulling back iselected by a wire and lever operating automatica] ly with the movementof the throwing arm, the arrangement ot the wire and lever beingidentical with that ot the wire and lever shown in Fig. 13.

' TWhile intended chiefly i'or use in throiving grenades, or throwingand tiring grenades, it will be understood that the improved machine maybe used for other throwing purposes, and in such connection may be usedtor games of skill, or for sport, and, il made on a small scale, it maybe used as a toy.

i What l claim is l. lin apparatus for throwing` grenades and the like,and for like throwing purposes, a relatively `fixed air chamber, movableaircompressing means within the chamber, a non-return air inlet valvefor allowing air to be stored in said air chamber under pressure, athrowing arm axially supported upon. said chamber, grenade or likeholding and controlling means on said throwingl arm, means for holdingthe arm retracted against the resistance ot the air in the air chamber,`and means for releasing the arm, the movable ail-compressing means,under the pressure of the air within the air chamber, acting1 upon thethrowing arm, and, on the arm being released, operating the arm to throwthe grenade, or other object, as set iorth.

2. ln apparatus for throwing grenades and the like, and for likethrowing` purposes, a relatively fixed and tubular air chamber, plungerswithin the air chamber, and means itor connecting the plungers to eachother at the upper end, means for allowing `air to be stored underpressure in the air chamber and a throwing arm axially supported near tothe upper end of the air chamber, a quadrant upon the same axial supportas the throwing arm and adjustably connected to the arm, a chainconnected to one point in the curved edge ot the quadrant, a chain wheeland axial support therefor onthe air chamber, and said chain, afterpassing below said wheel, being connected to the plunger-connectingmeans, means for temporarily holding the throwing arm and plunger-sretracted against the pressure of the air in the air clnnnber, and means`tor releasing the arm for throwing, said chain transmitting the motionof the plungers to the quadrant, and, on the plungers reaching the endof their outward stroke, serving to suddenly arrestthe movements or thethrowing arm, as set forth.

3; ln apparatus for throwing grenades and the like, and ior likethrowing purposes, an air chamber, a relatively lixed supporting base towhich the air chamber at its lower end is hingedly connected, means forstaying the upper end ol2 the air chamber to the base, `air compressingmeans slidably htting the `air chamber, means 'tor enabling air to bestored under pressure in the air chamber, a throwing arm, brackets and.a lixed axis therefor near the upper end of the air chamber, and meansbetween the said air-compressing means and the throwing arm adapted,under the pressure ot the air, to ope 'ate the throwing arm, and also tosuddenly arrest the movement oit the arm when it reaches its highestvelocity, grenade or like holding' and controlling means on the throwing arm, means :for temporarily retaining the arm and air-compressingmeans retracted against the resistance of the air in the air chamber andmeans for releasing `the throwing` arm when requiring to throw thegrenade or other object, as set forth.

t. ln apparatus for throwing grenades and the like, and for likethrowing purposes, a series of tubes arranged side by side, means 'forsupporting the same in `a substantially vert-ical position, a plungerin. two of the tubes and a cross-head for connecting such plungerstogether at the upper end, a nonreturn inlet valve :for allowing air tobe .stored in the tubes under pressure, a thro'n1m ing arm, brackets andan axis therefor near the upper end of said tubes, and means whereby themovement of the plungers in one direction may be communicated to thethrowing' arm, and vice versa, as set forth.

5. ln apparatus for throwing grenades and the like, and for likethrowing purposes, a relatively fixed tubular air chamber, means wherebya standing body of air is main tained under pressure within. the airchamber, a throwing arm axially mounted on the air chamber, and meansfor transmitting the expansion oi the air in the air chamber to thethrowing arm, as set forth.

6. ln apparatus for throwing grenades and the like, and Yfor likethrowing purposes, a relatively hired air chamber, air-compressing-.means within the said chamber, an air inlet valve forY allowing airto be stored in Asaid air chamber under pressure, a throwning"armpaxiallyr mounted on said air chamy"ber, means for transmitting themotion of the said aircompressing means to the throwing arm, a cup-likegrenade holder on said arm, andmeans whereby the grenade is teln-,porarily held in the holder but is free to leave the holder on thethrowing arm reaching the limit of its throwing movement, as set forth.n

7. In 'apparatus for throwing grenades land the like, and for likethrowing purposes, Va relatively fixed air chamber, vair compressingmeansl within the said chamber, 'an inlet valve for allowing air to bestored insaid air'chamler under pressure1 a throwing 1arm axiallymounted on said air Achamber,means fortransmitting the motion of lthesaid air-compressing means to the throi'vingarm, a cup-'like holderonsaid arm, means forretaining the object to be thrown in :the holder, andmeans on the throwing :arm for automatically `releasing vthe said'object when the 'arm reaches its highest velocity, as Seit forth. y

8, In lapparatus for throwing grenades, a relatively fixed air chamber,air-compressing means within the said chamber, an air" inlet 'valve 'forallowing air to be stored in said air chamber under pressure, a throwingarm axiallymounted on said air chamber, 'and means for transmitting themotion of lthe said air-compressingmeans to the throwing arm, a cup-likegrenade holder on said arm, means f'rretaining the grenade in vtheholder, means on the 'throwing arm for automatically firing the grenadein the holder, and means for automatically releasing the grenade whenthe arm has reached its highest velocity, as set forth.

9. In apparatus for throwing grenades and the like, a tubular airchamber, with non-return air inlet valve, plun'gers within the airchamber, la throwing arm axially supported upon the air chamber andgrenade carrying and retaining means on the throwing arm, the plungersbeing adapted to operate upon the throwing arm under the expansion ofair in the reservoir, and said grenade-carrying and retaining meansconsisting of a cup having springs within it whereby the grenade is heldyieldingly in the cup until it requires to leave the cup in the act ofbeing thrown, as set forth.

101111 apparatus for throwing grenades and the like, and for likethrowing purposes,

a relatively fixed air chamber, air-com pressing means within the saidchamber, an air inlet valve for allowing air to be stored into said airchamber under pressure, a throwing arm axially mounted on said airchamber, and means for triuismittiug the motion of the saidair-compressing means to the throwing arm, a cup-like grenade holderangularly adjustable upon said arm, means for holdingsame in variouspositions relatively to the arm, and means whereby the grenade isvtemporarily held iu the holder but is free to leave the holder on thethrowing arm reaching the limit of its throwing movement, as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence oftwoivitnesses.

ABRAHAM WOOD.

Witnesses:

HENRY JUNoA, FRED J. MEREDITH.

Copies of this'ipatent may yb'e 'obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

